


Joyce & Jane: Beside Her

by GettingThere



Series: Joyce & Jane [3]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Anxiety, Childhood Trauma, Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family, Family Feels, Gen, Good Parent Joyce Byers, Hurt/Comfort, Mother-Daughter Relationship, Parent-Child Relationship, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Psychological Trauma, Stomach Ache, Trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-26
Updated: 2020-05-26
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:01:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 573
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24396955
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GettingThere/pseuds/GettingThere
Relationships: Joyce Byers & Eleven | Jane Hopper
Series: Joyce & Jane [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1057658
Kudos: 15





	Joyce & Jane: Beside Her

On Sunday morning, after the Byers-Hopper family had finished their breakfast, Jim went outside to mow the lawn and Jonathan and Will drove over to the Wheelers’ house. Jane had been invited too, but at the last minute, she decided not to go.

After saying goodbye to her boys, Joyce sat down beside Jane at the kitchen table. “What’s wrong, sweetie?”

“My tummy hurts.”

“Are you still hungry? Do you want some more Eggos?”

“No.”

“Did you eat too fast?”

“No.” Jane kept her eyes on the floor.

“Can I feel your forehead?”

“Uh huh.”

Joyce pressed her palm to Jane’s forehead. “Well, you don’t have a fever. Does your head hurt?”

“No.”

“Then maybe it’s nerves. Is something bothering you?”

“I don’t know.”

“Is there anything you want to talk about?”

“No.”

Joyce remembered something she used to do with Will when he was younger and not feeling well. “Do you think you could draw me a picture?”

“Okay.”

Joyce got up and put the breakfast dishes in the sink, then got some scrap paper and coloured pencils from Will’s room. She went back to the kitchen and laid them out in front of her daughter before sitting back down next to her.

Jane looked at the supplies. “What do I draw?”

“Can you draw me a picture of yourself? I think that might help us figure out why your stomach hurts.”

Jane hesitated. Eventually, she picked up a dark blue pencil and started to draw herself. In her drawing, her hair was shaved close to her head and she was wearing a hospital gown. After finishing, she put down her pencil and stared at the picture.

Joyce let out a heavy sigh and put her arm around her daughter’s shoulders. “I wish that never happened to you. If I’d known where you were, I would have broken in and gotten you out of there.”

Jane kept her eyes on the drawing. “I know.”

“Sweetie, can you look at me?”

No response.

“Please?”

When Jane finally looked at her mother, her eyes were filled with tears. “What if the bad men break out of jail? What if they find me and Will? What if...”

Joyce rubbed her daughter’s shoulder. “Breathe, Janey, breathe.”

Jane closed her eyes and took a deep breath in through her nose, then let it out through her mouth. She did this four more times before opening her eyes again.

“How are you feeling, honey?”

Jane was quiet for a moment. “Scared.”

Joyce took her daughter’s hands in hers. “Thank you for telling me. I know it’s not easy to tell people when you’re scared. It’s hard for me, too. A lot of times I feel like I have to be strong for other people. But you don’t have to be strong for me. Or your dad. It’s our job to take care of you, especially when you’re scared. You can always tell us how you’re feeling, no matter what. Try to remember that, okay?”

Jane nodded.

“Does your tummy still hurt?”

“Less than before.”

“Good. Is there anything else you want to tell me?”

“Maybe later?”

“Okay.” Joyce kissed her daughter’s forehead. “Let me know when you’re ready.”

After Joyce got up to wash the breakfast dishes, Jane took the dark blue coloured pencil and continued her picture. She drew long hair on top of her once shaved head, and drew her mother beside her holding her hand.


End file.
